Monday, November 26, 2007

A pregnant woman with a history of mental illness has fled the country after being told that her baby will be taken away from her when she gives birth.

Fran Lyon is due to give birth in six weeks, but has been unable to look forward to motherhood since social workers warned her four months ago that her baby would be taken away ten minutes after birth and placed with foster parents.Social workers warned her four months ago that her baby would be taken away ten minutes after birth and placed with foster parents

Ms Lyon, a third-year student doing a neuro-science degree at Edinburgh University, suffered from an eating and selfharming disorder seven years ago.

She spent 13 months in a psychiatric hospital followed by nine successful months of counselling.

Now 22, and adamant that her emotional problems are behind her, Ms Lyon is furious that she is considered a risk to the baby.

Last week she decided to move from her home in Northumberland and fled to Europe to go into hiding.

"I'd be allowed to hold her until the cord was cut and then after that there'd be no more physical contact until the social worker was present," Ms Lyon said.

Northumberland council say there is a risk she would not care for her daughter, but her solicitor, William Bache, disagrees and says she has not been assessed properly.

"I don't think I have seen any evidence that Fran will harm her baby which is in any way convincing. I cannot understand in the least why they should be taking so draconian an action," Mr Bache said.